Just for your information: -I visited Birmingham Intl airport here in the UK last Sunday and witnessed an American Airlines Boeing 767-300ER aborting its take-off run.I wasnt equipped with a scanner at the time so I couldnt listen in to ATC transmissions, but from what I could tell, the aircraft was suffering some kind of problem with its right engine. It rolled down to the end of the runway and continued to the main taxiway opposite the British Airways "Eurohub" where it stood for a good 10-15 minutes having its right engine cycled up and down.I couldnt tell the reg number exactly either because I hadnt got my binoculars either at the time (I was only dropping the folks off for their summer holiday in Greece), but I think it was N371AN from what I could see.Anyway, In the end it did continue to taxi back to the runway and on its second take-off run, it successfully got airborne bound for Chicago, USA.I dont think I would have liked to have been on that aircraft knowing that I had to endure a good 8 1/2 hours on a plane with possible engine trouble !!!

>I dont think I would have liked to have been on that >aircraft knowing that I had to endure a good 8 1/2 hours on >a plane with possible engine trouble !!! I'm not so sure how "good" an eight and a half hours that would be in my mind if I'd sat through one RTO and then hearing the engines spool up and down several times. Gads.

:-)Interesting - reminds me of my own experience waiting for the Martinair 767 at KOAK to take me back to EHAM (too bad they don't do this flight anymore). As Martinair understandingly only has a single flight to OAK, I was sure that the plane on approach would be the one for me. It made a gentle touchdown, but rolled out until the very end of the runway and kept standing there... then about four to five fire trucks came racing down the field up to the 767, and after a couple of motionless minutes they accompanied it to the gate.No surprise, there was about a 6 hour delay. When we finally boarded, the captain was concerned enough about the passengers' need for information that he told us that there had been a leak in the hydraulics for the reverser system. Of the 6 hours delay, about one had been used to find a spare part - the other 5 to find out "how to disable the use of reverse thrust on landing in the computer". I suppose this would enable you to use autobrakes on wheel brakes only, but that's my guess.But actually, people didn't feel or act really concerned during the flight. Only at approach I felt a tiny bit concerned that we were about to test a software subroutine that, well, probably hasn't been used *that* often ;-)No need to say, the landing and rollout (wheelbrakes only!) on the 3000 meter runway was eventless.Cheers!Vince

Well, since the pilots would have been the first to arrive at the scene of any accident and given that the captain has sole authority about whether or not to continue the flight, it seems that he was satisfied that the aircraft could make the flight. Really doubt that he would have given it a second try if he was at all worried. Bob

Yes, I guess that would be the normal way of things - pilots being concerned for their own well-being :-)But I think reasoning that pilots are a better kind of human is a bit outdated (no offense intended) - we've seen drunk pilots, angry pilots, pilots making wrong judgements and I suspect there may even be suicidal ones also (although probably sufficiently in their minds not to take innocent people with them). Hey - they're just like us mortals! ;-):-hahVince

I'm sure they are ! I speak with a few of the guys in 747 fleets and the older guys are very frustrated in so much as a computer does all the work for them due to accountants ect. He describes himself as a very highly paid knob twiddler (steady). Talk with the younger pilots is all about pensions and expenses ectIt's not too long ago there was a story of a steward visiting the flight deck and all the crew were out of it.....asleep ! Such is the boredom.The way I see it, big is not beautifull, speak with a 73 or 75 guy, he's normally happy as Larry, flys two - three sectors a day, hand flies his aircraft to cruise, 20 minutes later he's in the decent, preparing for landing......long live charter pilots !George